Means for automatically adjusting locomotive exhaust-nozzles.



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LY ADJUSTING LOGOMO-TIVE EXHAUST NOZZLBS. APBLIUATION FILED AUG. 17, 1909*.

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WILLIAM CHARLES ALLISON, 0F MOOSE JAW, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTING LOCOMOTIVE EXHAUST-NOZZLES.

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To all whom it may concer/1L:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM CHARLES ALLisoN, of Moose Jaw, in the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Automatically Adjusting Locomotive Exhaust-Nozzles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved means for automatically adjusting the locomotive exhaust nozzles, and the objects of my invention are to provide a. simple and effective device for automatically regulating the size of the exhaust nozzle, to correspond with the boiler pressure whereby a saving in fuel may be effected, the draft regulated and the steam prevented from drawing olf, further objects being to provide simple means for manually adjusting the nozzle; and it consists essentially of an exhaust column having the top closed by a pair of adjustable plates, a cylinder in communication with the boiler pressure having a piston therein spring-held in normal position with means for adjusting the spring, the piston being connected by suitable mechanism with the plates closing the exhaust column, whereby movement of the piston will vary the position of the plates to free the opening at the top of the exhaust column, all as hereinafter more fully set forth and described in the accompanying specification and drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention with the locomotive boiler indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the controlling piston. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective detail of the exhaust column and plates closing the top of the same with the means for actuating the plates. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the plates and supporting members for the same. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 2h2, Fig. 4. Fig. G is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 5.

In the drawings, like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the exhaust column of an ordinary locomotive of suitable size and form. In accordance with the present invention, the top of this column is closed by two adjustable plates 1() and 11, these plates, in the embodiment illustrated, being slidably supported from guideways 12 and 13 in. a bracket member 14 suitably secured to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application Ied August 17, 1909.

.Patented Sept. 27, 1910. serial No. 513,366.

top of the exhaust column. These plates are adapted to abut slightly at their' center when in innermost position and are provided with recesses 15- and 16 placed opposite each other and adapted, together, to form the orifices through which the steam may pass, the size of the orifices being determined by the relative position of the plates.

B represents a controlling cylinder for the nozzle, which has one end placed in communication with the boiler pressure, as by a suitable conducting pipe 17. Vithin this cylinder is a piston 13 which is normally held in innermost position, this being accomplished in the embodiment illustrated by using a spring 19 fitting within an extension 2O of the cylinder and having the end abutting the plate 21 on the piston rods 22. In order to regulate the exhaust, it is necessary to provide means for adjusting the tension of this spring, and the means I provide for adjusting the tension comprise a screwthreaded sleeve member 23 fitting through the end of the extension 2O and abutting the end of the spring.

The opposite end of the piston rod 22 is operatively connected to the plates by suitable mechanism in such a way that when the piston rod is moved outwardly, the plates will be moved apart to increase the size of the orifices. The means I show to accomplish this, comprises a shaft 24 transversely extending' across the smoke box, and suitably journaled from the sides thereof, the end of this shaft being formed with a crank 25 connected to the piston rod, the said shaft being operatively connected to the plates as by radial arms 26 and 27 extending from the shaft and having the opposite extremities connected by links 28, 29, 30 and 31 with the plates 10 and 11.

It will be seen that the links 30 and 31 are connected to the radial arms on the underside of the shaft and the opposite ends of the links are connected to the plate 10, while the links 28 and 29 are connected to the upper extremities of the radial arms and to the plate 11. In order to provide means for manually adjusting the orifice in the exhaust column, a handle 30 is connected to the piston rod 22 and extends through a slot 31 in the extension 20. In order to maintain the joint between the bracket member 14 and the plates 1() and 11 steam tight, it is desirable to provide packing strips 34 and 35 located in recesses 36 and 3T in the bracket member and normally pressed against the underside of the plates lO and 1l by suitable flat springs 3S and 89.

In the operation of the device, the tension spring is so arranged when under normal boiler pressure, the piston will remain in innermost position, and the orifice would be of normal size, the plates, for example, being in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 4. Thus, for example, if a boiler is designed to carry about two hundred pounds of steam and would blow off if the pressure raised above that point, the adjusting` spring would be set for one hundred and ninety pounds and as soon as the pressure began to go above that, the piston 1S would move outwardly gradually separating the plates 10 and Il, and enlarging the orifice, which would reduce the draft on the fire, thereby saving' fuel, reducing the back pressure on the pistons and prevent the blowing off.

The manual adjusting lever will be principally used when the engine is starting and in this case, the piston rod will be actuated to separate the plates l0 and ll to provide the largest sized orifices. As soon as the engine is fairly started, the lever is released and the automatic regulating device thrown into operation again.

It will be seen that the device just described, besides saving fuel and increasing the energy of the engine, will also tend to prevent sparks passing out of the smoke stack, which would produce fires along the railway, this being due to the later exhaust which the device renders it possible to employ.

IVhile many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention, within the scope of the appended claims, could be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification and drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

IVhat I claim as my invention is:

l. The combination with an exhaust nozzle of a cylinder having a longitudinal slot formed in the outer end of the same, a piston, a piston rod connected to the piston, spring means for holding the piston in innermost position, a handle connected to the piston rod and extending through the slot in the cylinder and means Operated by the outward movement ofthe piston rod for controlling the size of the outlet in the exhaust column.

2. The combination with a cylindrical exhaust column, of a bracket having a perforation into which the top of the exhaust column extends, the top of said column being flush with the upper surface of the bracket, said bracket being formed with transversely extending guide-ways and with recesses at substantially right angles to the guide-ways, a pair of slidable plates mounted in the guide-ways `adapted to control the opening of the exhaust column, means for actuating said plates, and spring packing members in the recesses pressing against the underside of the plates.

3. The combination with an exhaust nozzle and slidable plates controlling the outlet of the same, of bracket members supporting the plates having recesses therein, packing strips located in the recesses adapt-ed to engage the slidable plates, and springs pressing said strips outwardly against the slidable plates.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAIWI CHARLES ALLISON.

YVitnesses JosEPHINE E. NAIRN, A. THUnRE'r'rE. 

